Mar 27
Before we get to today’s question, I want everyone to get their predictions ready because on Thursday there will be a special edition of the Sunday Question asking everyone their opinions on the 2011 Met Season.
After watching the Mets all Spring Training, what (in your opinion) is the Mets’ strength and what is their weakness?
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13 comments
rustyjr
3/27/2011-9:36am at 9:36 am (UTC -4)
I think the bullpen and the 1-7 spots in the line up will be strong – still not sold on the starting rotation in it’s entirety
metsfan4decades
3/27/2011-9:58am at 9:58 am (UTC -4)
Weakness? I’m going with the same thing I went with this time last year: SP. I hope I’m as wrong as I was last year on this.
Strengths: I think the run production will be better than last year. We lost 30 one run games last year. With a healthy Reyes and Bay, the always healthy Wright, and a full season of Ike and Thole, the lineup looks more solid. Thole is having a good spring. He keeps telling us not to expect HRs b/c he’s not that kind of power hitter. Than I see a HR the other day that went past the burm. LOL..seriously, with Thole in the lineup that black hole we’re used to bottom half of the order should not be as bad this year.
I’m not sold on Hairston/Harris in RF should Beltran mainly sit this year. I especially don’t like Harris’s bat. We’ll see how this plays out.
oleosmirf
3/27/2011-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
the Mets biggest strengths are their lineup (if healthy) and their back of the rotation…
biggest weakness is the front end of the rotation…
stickguy
3/27/2011-10:46am at 10:46 am (UTC -4)
strengths: The lineup, top to bottom, when Beltran is in there. Ditto for the overall defense (with 2B being the only potential negative area). Back end of the rotation, and the pen. And new this year, OBP.
weaknesses: RF if Beltran is on the shelf. 2/5 of the bench if Hairston and Harris hit like last year. Top of the rotation (actually just Pelf, but only compared to other teams #1 SP).
Overall, I think they should have a lot more potent offense, many more base runners, and a stronger pen, leading to a lot fewer 1 run losses! SP will be the wild card again, just like last year, along with guys staying on the field of course.
kingman 26
3/27/2011-11:50am at 11:50 am (UTC -4)
Strengths: The enthusiasm of the young players, the new mindset of Collins which has already begun to eradicate the apathy of 2010, the new front office, and very possibly the bullpen.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching could be a bit better than originally thought, but the offense will be the major problem. Counting on Bay or Beltran to be significantly better than 2010 is a very big gamble. In addition, RF and 2B are huge offensive question marks, and the team needs excellent years from Ike, Reyes, and Pagan just to have a MAYBE slightly above average offense.
81-81 will be a wonderful step forward.
metsfan4decades
3/27/2011-11:55am at 11:55 am (UTC -4)
IDK, 81-81 is no better than last year.
Don’t you think production from LF has to be better than last year just by virtue of the fact that it appears Bay will be here all year?
I’d love to see a trade mid season to move Bay along but I highly doubt that happens.
kingman 26
3/27/2011-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
I am not sure. I seriously think Bay might just be a guy who aged overnight, which does happen.
After last year, and playing 81 games in Citi, is he all of a sudden going to get back to his 2009 year, at age 32? And he wouldn’t come to camp early as Wright did, he has a stiff back in March, and doesn’t want to run extra in CF in a spring game? Not expecting much from Bay I am sorry to say.
I think that without Johan, that if we can win 82 this year, it will be the stepping off point for a great 2012.
You know me, if Jose is MVP and Bay has a great year and they win 95 and make the playoffs, I will be here saying how wrong I was every damn day with a smile on my face, as I did regularly with Dickey last year.
stickguy
3/27/2011-12:06pm at 12:06 pm (UTC -4)
I am worried about Bay too. will have to wait and see.
I do expect Reyes to have a monster year though.
Given there will be no slappy, no frenchy, etc this year, I do expect to offense to be notably better than it was last year.
and damned, how could I, of all people, forget to put changing the manager under the strengths?
kingman 26
3/27/2011-12:33pm at 12:33 pm (UTC -4)
LOL! Time to turn the page!
No more Ollie, no more Slappy, no more Jerry.
We are reading the introduction of a new book!
metsfan4decades
3/27/2011-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
Agree with both of you. Don’t know how I didn’t put ‘Jerry gone’ right up there at the top of my list.
I think Bay’s contract is going to be the next one we’re all discussing on the ‘over paid’ type variety. A bit of that though is going to be of the hindsight is 20/20 type variety.
I have way less of a problem with KRod and that vesting option than the money spent on Bay.
I read an article somewhere in the last 2 weeks that made a lot of sense to me. Simply put, the idea should be:
- draft and develop good talent. The type of talent that (1) gives you 6 years or so of cheap production at the ML and (2) can be used as trade chips.
- When it comes to FA, try and sign those with the best years/prime ahead of them, not pay for those prime years behind them. (i.e. Reyes on the former and Bay on the latter).
- Big contracts should center around either signing your young talent just entering FA and/or signing a FA just coming into their prime.
Of course, the trick is to have the smartest baseball minds you can have to identify that talent at both the minor league and major league level.
hazmet
3/27/2011-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
Strengths: Jose looks healthy and hungry playing in his walk year. As the saying goes “as Jose goes so go the Mets”. And that could be very true this year. Also, of course as mentioned by others the new front office and new Manager is big along with the changing of the guard with welcoming in a new crop of youngsters with Ike, Thole, Emaus with Duda, Havens and others in the wings. The irony on this last point is wouldn’t it be something if the team were to take off based on all these guys Omar brought into the system. Hey, I’ll take it – he may have picked them but it may have taken a different voice to mold them into their potential. Either way it’ll be fun to watch how this plays out.
Weakness: Beltran & Top of the Rotation. I like Pelf but I don’t see him as a #1 Ace. Nice Pitcher capable of 15-18 wins, which would be great, but not a guy you roll out every 5 days knowing you have the upper hand 90% of the time. With Carlos, one way or the other he either needs to be there long enough to prove productive to trade or to hold onto knowing he’ll help for a serious run at the WC. First step just get him DL’d to start the year and run Hairston out there for a few weeks. Let’s see in extended spring training if he really can make it back or just move on already to Duda and don’t look back.
Mr North Jersey
3/27/2011-1:22pm at 1:22 pm (UTC -4)
Strengths: I’ll go with what looks to be depth.
Weakness: Too many question marks.
stickguy
3/27/2011-1:24pm at 1:24 pm (UTC -4)
hey, if you miss having Ollie around, the Cubs just waived their version of him (Curtis Silva). maybe the Mets should try and get him on a MiL deal (hard to see him getting an ML one, but who knows) for depth?
Man, the Cubs had way more bad deals on the books that the Mets did with ollie and luis.